About Birth to Books

Birth to Books was founded to help children fall in love with reading from the very beginning.

It started with a very personal moment. After having my daughter, I felt completely lost — not just about what to introduce, but when, and how to do it in a way that was truly right for her. Like so many new parents, I found myself checking apps like Emma's Diary to keep track of upcoming milestones. But knowing what was coming wasn't the same as knowing how to nurture those skills in a meaningful way.

As a secondary school teacher, I also see the longer-term picture. I watch so many young people who simply don't read for pleasure — and the statistics are sobering. Half of all adults in the UK don't read regularly, and 1 in 6 — that's 8.5 million people — struggles to read at all.* We are in a reading crisis. But I believe that crisis doesn't begin in secondary school. It begins much, much earlier — and it can be prevented, one book at a time, from the very beginning of a child's life.

That's why my Husband and I co-founded Birth to Books.

Together we have carefully curated, stage-based book boxes designed to support your child's development at each step of their early years. Each box includes thoughtfully chosen books, sensory elements, and a simple parent guide — explaining not just what to use, but why it matters. Because timing the right book at the right moment, paired with clear and manageable guidance, is what turns reading into something a child truly connects with.

As your child grows, our boxes grow with them — supporting key developmental stages, everyday challenges, and the interests that begin to shape who they are. Especially in those later stages when there's a lot going on, our guidance is designed to feel structured and reassuring, never overwhelming.

Because every child's journey is different. But a love of books can start from the very beginning.

* Sources: The Reading Agency, State of the Nation in Adult Reading (2024); OECD (2013).